Gravity
by oletimessake
Summary: A lazy day out, frivolous conversations and a meaningful moment or two. Narusaku. Long drabble.


Written November 2008.

Edited March 2015.

Not canon-compliant. No spoilers. Completely plotless.

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**gr a v** _**i t y**_

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It was a Sunday afternoon. The sky had begun to darken with the burgeoning sunset. Splashes of orange crept up above the treetops to cling onto low-hanging clouds.

The brush thinned in this part of the forest, and opened onto a shallow stream. Perched on a rock, Naruto rolled the hems of his bright pants up to his knees. He dropped his bare feet into the stream, enjoying its cool touch. He peered down as he wiggled his toes, it was more like looking through glass than water.

He didn't glance up as Sakura approached, sunhat in one hand, a basket of plants in the other. He almost couldn't hear her, her assassin's feet soft as she padded over rocks towards him. She sat next to him and smoothed her red faded sundress over her knees. Her cheeks and nose were stained red from a day in the sun. She bumped her shoulder into his.

"Is it cold?"

"It's refreshing."

She let her feet fall in beside his, sighing happily as she watched ripples spread out around her ankles. Her wicker basket sat next to her, balanced precariously on the sloping rock. Neatly stacked roots, stems and flowers peeked over its rim.

"Did you get all the plants you needed?"

She hummed affirmatively, and swirled her feet through the shallow stream.

"There was plenty of kurōbu flowers, but I was hoping for more yomogi leaves."

Naruto leaned back on his bandaged arms, little twinges of pain sparked up like popping candy. He ignored it.

"It's not quite the season for them," she continued idly,"but sometimes they crop up earlier. I'll try again in a week or two, the good weather's supposed to keep up."

Naruto quirked his head and listened to her ramble. He'd never liked lectures at the academy, or cared for cooking and other mundane things, but he loved when she got like this. Her head was somewhere far away, and her thoughts tumbled out thoughtlessly over her tongue. She would check off her To-Do lists aloud and recite a new medical ninjutsu or complain about her mothers' fussing. It was the sort of talk he imagined families rattled off over dinner, or couples chattered about while browsing market stalls. Her easy uncensored words were flattering and the little details of her unremarkable days, fascinating. It was companionable. An ordinary intimacy.

"I really do need it soon though, my stock is running low," she huffed, fiddling with her straw hat. Parts of the brim had started to come unwoven.

Her head jerked up suddenly.

"I'm boring you," she said peering over at Naruto.

"You're not."

She snorted in disbelief.

"Really. But I don't get why you don't just buy herbs from the markets like everyone else," he prompted. He'd asked her this before.

She rolled her eyes.

"I like picking them myself, besides they always seem to taste better."

"They all taste the same. How can you tell the difference?"

"Easily."

"Pah! I know you pick them yourself because you're stingy, Sakura-chan," a mile wide grin stretched across his face, "you don't have to lie to me."

She shoved him.

He slid down the rock. His long legs sprang out, crooked awkwardly, to stop his descent. The rolled hem of his pants drooped, before one dropped past his ankle and into the water. Naruto scowled. Sakura smirked triumphantly.

Naruto lifted his leg until the drenched material resurfaced, and shook it. Sakura watched as he began rolling it up again, his bandaged fingers kneading the soaked cloth as he went.

"Get those bandages wet and see if I'll change them," she tutted.

"You wouldn't let them get wet enough to make me sick," he said, sitting back up, "That'd just be more work for you."

She glared at his cheeky smile. She gently placed her hat beside her and stepped down into the stream. With a quick exaggerated kick, she splashed him.

"Hey!"

Before Sakura could gloat, Naruto sprung into the water, spitting up droplets as he lunged for her. She shrieked and dove past him, his fingers skimmed her arm. She twisted her torso from his touch, then scooped up the basket in one fluid movement.

"You can't splash me!" She cried, spinning to face him, "I have the plants, you can't splash me!"

She held the basket protectively in front of her. Naruto jerked to a stop. His brow furrowed.

"Plants _like_ water!"

"Yes, but you might make me drop some," she blurted.

"You're a nin-"

"And then," she continued loudly, "I'd have to punch you through a tree."

Naruto sputtered. Sakura jutted her chin out.

"That's not fair," he whined, his shoulders sagging.

She gave him a sugary sweet smile.

"I think it's perfectly fair."

Sakura hiked the basket up into the crook of her elbow, and turned around, watching where she placed her feet. Pebbles and rocks littered the floor of the stream, some still new and sharp, others aged and worn smooth. She smiled as she listened to him grumble under his breath.

"I'm going to double check there isn't anymore yomogi."

Naruto clambered back up onto his rock.

"Have fun," he said petulantly. He heard her scoff.

He pouted and fell back, his arms crossed behind his head. Most of the yolk orange had vanished from the sky; some deep fuchsia pinks mingled amongst the reigning purples. The beginnings of the milky way had awoken, the brightest stars already twinkling. The frogs and cicadas were awake now too, and singing their strange symphonies.

Sakura waded through the stream for a few yards to where the underbrush thickened, and stepped out. Naruto let his eyes fall shut. He tracked her by her chakra signature and the crumple of grass under foot. Her signature had grown so familiar that nowadays it felt like a childhood blanket draped across his back. A warm, welcome presence rather than a loud blip on his internal radar.

For a while, he lay still, breathing in the dusk air and listening to her gentle steps.

"Hey, Naruto?"

"Hm?"

"Have a look at this."

He sat up and looked to her, she was crouched down on the opposite bank, in front of a tree. Naruto slipped down into the water and sloshed his way towards her.

The grass was long there, reaching up to lick at the tree trunk. Nestled between the tree's roots a small wooden box sat. It looked aged, the bluish wood speckled with dark spots where dampness had seeped in. Sakura picked up the mossy rock on it's top, then carefully lifted the lid. Naruto knelt down beside her, mud and grass squishing between his toes. The box was sectioned into four compartments. In one he could see a locket; it's silver chain now brackish and tarnished. In another there was some kind of cloth, maybe a bandana or hanky.

Sakura picked up the moss covered rock again. She prodded at the algae, peeling it in clumps to reveal an almost flawlessly smooth surface, but for the deliberate scratches. She traced the engravings with her nail, the careful etches read _sister_.

"I think it's a memorial," she murmured.

Naruto reached around her, and carefully placed the lid back on the box. Sakura put the stone back into place. She stared down at the unassuming monument.

"I wonder if they died here."

Naruto grimaced, and glanced down between his feet, as though he expected to find a fresh grave.

"There better not be any ghosts."

Sakura laughed as she stood and stepped down off the bank, "You're a big baby."

Naruto followed suit, crossing his arms, "Don't laugh, you're the one who disturbed the box, it's you they'll be cranky with."

"Yeah well, you helped. So they'll come after you too."

She glanced back and lined herself up in front of the box, then she looked ahead. The memorial opened onto a clear view of the stream and sky. The trees in the distance were dimmed to a black outline, one that grew high then suddenly dove down perfectly for her view; a dip in the forest wall, revealing the last colours of sunset. She could feel Naruto's eyes watching her, a familiar weight.

"I can see why someone would choose this spot," she said, "It's very peaceful."

The water by her feet was still clear, she could see her toes and the pebbly floor. Further away the stream looked black under the dying day, orange peels of light lapped the tips of ripples.

"When I die I wouldn't mind having a memorial here," she clasped her hands behind her back and glanced to him, her lips quirked up, "Make sure they give me one or I'll haunt you."

"I wouldn't let that happen."

She turned to look at him properly. From the new angle, the light caught her eyelashes and cupid's bow.

"The dying part," he clarified.

She shook her head, smile back in place, as she watched the sky once more.

"Naruto, I know you think you can do anything you put your mind to, but my death is inevitable."

"Yeah I know that," he slipped his hands into his pockets, and stepped further into the stream, "but I won't let you die before me."

Sakura stared at his back and trod slowly up beside him. His face was awash in his favourite colour, his eyes looked like a subdued purple.

"Yeah," he murmured, soft-spoken as though his words were only for his ears, "I won't let that happen to Sakura-chan on my watch."

Sakura dropped her gaze, her cheeks hot. She tucked flyaway strands behind her ear. At nineteen she still wore it short, though it was styled softer, more natural than she ever had before. It suited her.

"Idiot," she said finally, marching off through the water, "What you're really saying is I'll have to save your arse while you try to save mine."

He chortled, his long legs quickly eating up the distance between them.

"Sounds like a promise to me," he said.

His eyes were bright and pleased in a way she rarely saw, like his soul was happy. She slowed her pace and smiled. Her lips were fond, her eyes nostalgic, her brows arched dubiously, because in some ways he hadn't changed at all.

"We can't promise that, Naruto. No one can, but especially us, with the lives we lead."

"Nope, too late," he said, grinning at her, "It's already a promise and you know I never break promises."

She huffed and trudged up in front of him, her hands on her hips.

"So what, you promise to always save my butt and I'll promise to always save your butt?"

He shrugged, careless but calm.

"It's not like we haven't already been doing that for ages."

She pursed her lips, her brow furrowed down. After a moment she let out a whoosh of air.

"I guess you're right."

"Of course!"

She rolled her eyes. A smile tugged at her lips as she stared up at him; a glint in her eyes not from the sun.

"So, for better or for worse?" She teased and held out her hand.

Naruto blinked at her.

"Well, I don't see how it could be for worse, but yeah, it's a promise."

He grabbed her hand and shook, Sakura's head fell back, a belly laugh quaking through her form.

Her fingers slipped from his grasp and she sloshed away, her arms flung wide. Droplets flew around her as twirled mid run, to face him again. She stopped, the sunset at her back haloing her silhouette; it caught on the single strands of hair framing her face. She broke out into a wide cheesy grin, threw out her arm, and gave him a thumbs up.

"It's a promise of a lifetime, dattebayo!" She yelped theatrically, her voice pitched ridiculously high.

"Oi!" Naruto spluttered, "I didn't sound like that! I said it way cooler!"

"No way, you were so lame!"

"Sakura-chan!"

She was laughing again, her cheeks bunched up and eyes curved closed. Naruto trudged up beside her, an exaggerated pout pulled his lips down.

"My dumbass teammate," she sighed, "with a giant's heart."

She leant against him, a quick brush of arms, while she gazed at the blackening sky. His body blocked out most of the sun, delving her into his shadow, but for the light that spilt between his neck and shoulder. She could feel him, watching her.

She peeked over at him, noticing how she had to tilt her head up. His eyes looked stormy grey in the dimming light. They were focussed on her, intent and curious.

Sakura stepped in front of him and held up her hand. She placed it straight across her crown like a salute and extended her arm until she tapped lightly against his chest.

"When did you get so tall?"

He grinned.

"When did you get so short?"

Sakura mock-glared and smacked his shoulder. Channeling her chakra, she stepped up out of the stream and onto it's surface. The top of her head sat about level with his nose.

"Well, you're closer," his teeth caught the vestiges of sunlight, "but I'm still taller."

"Yeah," she conceded, "but this is tall enough."

Before he could ask she leant forward, her hands resting lightly on his chest as she stood up on the tips of her toes. She brushed her lips across his; a quick barely-there touch like the brush of a breeze. Her lips were slightly chapped, so were his. As she began to move back, his hands slipped up to hold her waist in place.

Naruto's face was open, soft and awed, as he watched her. One of his hands curled around her jaw, his callused thumb tickled her cheek. She'd watched those hands grow, she knew them almost as well as her own, but never quite like this.

Slowly, he angled his head down over hers. She let her eyes flutter shut. Her lips parted and her chin tilted up. His breath was warm over her mouth - their noses grazed - and then his lips pressed against hers; tentative and unpracticed. His nails scratched along her scalp as his fingers threaded through her hair.

Suddenly she was jerked away. Her face bumped into his chest. Her feet ached.

After a stunned moment Naruto crumpled into chuckles. Sakura could feel them, rumbling through his chest. Her face burned.

"You lost control of your chakra!" He crowed, a grin eating up his face, "And all because of me!"

She pushed away from his chest. Her face was pinker than her hair.

"Maybe I was just trying to get away," Sakura started then stopped as Naruto pulled her back into a kiss.

Later, when the sun had sunk completely, he stepped back and pushed loose strands from her forehead.

"Hey, Sakura-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Where'd your basket go?"


End file.
